Q: distinguish between water quality criteria pollutants and maximum contaminant levels, to do this you will need to tell me about the criteria pollutants? and then the maximum contaminant levels of

pollutants.

A: EPA's compilation of national recommended water quality criteria is presented as a summary table containing recommended water quality criteria for the protection of aquatic life and human health in surface water for approximately 150 pollutants. [ Diversely maximum contaminant levels are or Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) are standards that are set by the United States Environmental

Protection Agency (EPA) for drinking water quality. An MCL is the legal threshold limit on the amount of a substance that is allowed in public water systems under the Safe Drinking Water Act. The limit is usually expressed as a concentration in milligrams or micrograms per liter of water.[1] ]

Water quality is the physical, chemical and biological characterisitics of water. The Clean Water Act requires each jurisidiction to submit biennial reports on water quality in their respective area. [ [ This Act is the primary federal law governing water pollution. Maximum contaminant levels are standards set by the EPA for drinking water quality. It is expressed as a concentration in milligrams or micrograms in a liter of water. It is determined by how much of the contaminant can be present, with no ill effects on health. Pollutants include point sources from a stationary, identifiable source such as a pipe or a sewage treatment plant. It includes storm sewers, construction sites, etc. Non-point sources include pollutants that contaminate the water from various sources that accumulate- example, leaching of nitrogen compounds from fertilizing farmlands. The runoff from several farms eventually makes its way to the river or ocean in the area. Pollutants can include organic and inorganic substances. Organic pollutants include: detergents, food wastes, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, fossil fuels, VOC's, solvents, etc. For the inorganic ones: sulfur dioxide, ammonia, heavy metals, silt and others.